Joba Chamberlain had issued a statement – through his agent – after being arrested for drunk driving last month, issuing an apology and saying his plan was for it to be a one-time mistake.

But Chamberlain had yet to speak publicly about the arrest. Yesterday he did, reiterating much of what was in the statement – but saying it himself. Chamberlain insisted he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, apologized to kids and fans, and admitted he knows there is more to life than baseball.

“You’ve always got to take a negative and turn it into a positive and teach kids and understand that it’s not right,” Chamberlain told The Post following an autograph signing at Last Licks in Rye. “And coming from somebody that’s experienced it, there’s a little more legitimacy behind it. But you never want to — once is enough. That’s not going to happen again.

“And I apologize not only to the kids, but to the fans that spend their money to come out and to do the things that they do for us and for myself. And as somebody that’s in the spotlight, you’ve got to understand that there’s more important things to life than baseball and you realize that.”

Following the arrest, Hal Steinbrenner said the Yankees were “behind him 100 percent.” Chamberlain, who was friendly and polite in dealing with approximately 600 people yesterday, said he’s appreciated the support he’s received.

“The support and everything that’s gone along with it has been great,” he said. “And we’re a family and everybody understands that. You have to learn from it and never let it happen again.”

As for the Yankees’ free-agency front, A.J. Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, said last night the Yankees had been in touch but there hadn’t been an official offer yet. The offer, of course, could come at any moment – the Yankees are very much interested in both Burnett and fellow free-agent righty Derek Lowe.

The Yankees have extended CC Sabathia the biggest contract ever for a pitcher, and yesterday Chamberlain had praise for the lefty.

“It’s a big-time pitcher, big-time situation, and a guy that gets it done,” said Chamberlain. “He’s proven he’s got it done in both leagues and continued to get it done for numerous years. . . . So it’d be good to see.”

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Francisco Rodriguez’s agent, Paul Kinzer, said yesterday there haven’t been any offers for the free-agent closer.

“We haven’t gotten the medicals to the teams yet,” he said, “so as soon as they get those, then we’ll start getting the offers.”

Kinzer’s hope was Rodriguez’s medical report, which comes from the Angels, would “go out early next week.” He said K-Rod’s free agency would “probably go into the winter meetings.”

Kinzer, who’s planning on “four or five solid teams” in the derby, insisted the closer is a fan of the Mets.

While a report indicated the Yankees could be in the mix for Padres ace Jake Peavy, the two teams have not had any talks lately about the right-hander. Also, keep in mind that Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, told The Post yesterday that Peavy still has a strong preference to be dealt to an NL team.

Peavy has a full no-trade clause. Asked if he would require more compensation to be dealt to the Yanks, Axelrod said there would need to be compensation if Peavy’s dealt anywhere. But he admitted there’d be certain destinations requiring more compensation, using geography as an example. That was a pretty strong hint that any deal to The Bronx would cost the Yankees plenty.